A different coaching challenge

[tower912]

The rotations have been self limiting during the first four years under Wojo.  This season may be something else entirely.  How do you find time for this many good players?  And where does a coach go to find others who have had this all too rare problem?  Who is Wojo going to for advice?  Olympic coaches?

[Galway Eagle]

The rotations have been self limiting during the first four years under Wojo.  This season may be something else entirely.  How do you find time for this many good players?  And where does a coach go to find others who have had this all too rare problem?  Who is Wojo going to for advice?  Olympic coaches?

I'd ask Jay at Nova or Calipari

[Jay Bee]

The rotations have been self limiting during the first four years under Wojo.  This season may be something else entirely.  How do you find time for this many good players?  And where does a coach go to find others who have had this all too rare problem?  Who is Wojo going to for advice?  Olympic coaches?

Let the players decide. Via effort, performance & matchups (and any past promises made).

[GOO]

I'd think the first stop for Wojo is Wojo and his assistants.  Probably the second,  third, fourth, and fifth option as well.  After that, his Duke coaching tree including coach K.  Obviously no one will know the talent and skills of the MU players like the MU coaching staff.     

Of course this is a great problem to have, but these things often seem to find their own answer when a player or two really steps up and distinguishes himself. 

What returning player(s) and/or freshman distinguish themselves and separate from the others?  There seem like a lot of options and a lot of question marks and unknowns.  But I am pretty confident that this will mostly solve itself.  Maybe I should say I am hopeful, which means, that we have a player or two that step up to a much higher level, which is what it takes to have a really good team.

[muwarrior69]

The rotations have been self limiting during the first four years under Wojo.  This season may be something else entirely.  How do you find time for this many good players?  And where does a coach go to find others who have had this all too rare problem?  Who is Wojo going to for advice?  Olympic coaches?

So far we have two good players: Markus and Sam. The rest will sort itself out.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So far we have two good players: Markus and Sam. The rest will sort itself out.

Add Morrow to that list.

[Galway Eagle]

So far we have two good players: Markus and Sam. The rest will sort itself out.

Chartouny is at least good in what is probably one of three best non power six conferences. Morrow was good on Nebraska and has had a year to work. I'd say there's four players proven to be good

[mu03eng]

Not be overly semantical but there is ability to be good in stretches or in a game and there is consistently good.

IMO

Proven to be consistently good is:
-Sam
-Markus
-Chartouny

Proven to be good but not consistently yet:
-Cain
-Sacar
-Morrow
-Elliot

Uncertain on how to classify:
-Heldt
-John

Yet to be determined:
-Bailey
-Joey
-Ike


Thoughts?

[Its DJOver]

Not be overly semantical but there is ability to be good in stretches or in a game and there is consistently good.

IMO

Proven to be consistently good is:
-Sam
-Markus
-Chartouny

Proven to be good but not consistently yet:
-Cain
-Sacar
-Morrow
-Elliot

Uncertain on how to classify:
-Heldt
-John

Yet to be determined:
-Bailey
-Joey
-Ike


Thoughts?

Ed was pretty consistent his last year playing.  His averages went down slightly after coming back from injury, but even after he cam back the only game that he had 15 or less minutes was one that he fouled out of.  I would more likely put him in the uncertain category because we don't know how well he'll work in Wojo's system.

[DienerTime34]

This is something I stopped worrying about when I realized we'll always have transfers whether we have 7 eligible players or 13. Just play the best players. Don't worry about playing everyone. It's all going to sort itself out anyway. Heck, last year we had a kid transfer mid-season who had started every game.

[LloydsLegs]

Not be overly semantical but there is ability to be good in stretches or in a game and there is consistently good.

IMO

Proven to be consistently good is:
-Sam
-Markus
-Chartouny

Proven to be good but not consistently yet:
-Cain
-Sacar
-Morrow
-Elliot

Uncertain on how to classify:
-Heldt
-John

Yet to be determined:
-Bailey
-Joey
-Ike


Thoughts?

Agree with most, but I would classify John as good but not consistently good and Heldt as consistently mediocre

[mu03eng]

Agree with most, but I would classify John as good but not consistently good and Heldt as consistently mediocre

That's the thing with Heldt, I very much appreciate him but he is definitely the least talented player that gets significant minutes and that's not going to change.

[dgies9156]

The only two guys for whom I am confident going into next year are Markus and Sam. And Sam is somewhat concerning only because he has shown a tendency to get lost in the crowd at times in some games.

I gotta believe Morrow, Joey and Sacar are going to be strong. But the rest depends on who fits well together. It's one thing, for example, to have Morrow and Heldt on the floor at the same thing. It's another to have folks working together. Some combinations gel. Some just don't.

[PGsHeroes32]

The only two guys for whom I am confident going into next year are Markus and Sam. And Sam is somewhat concerning only because he has shown a tendency to get lost in the crowd at times in some games.

I gotta believe Morrow, Joey and Sacar are going to be strong. But the rest depends on who fits well together. It's one thing, for example, to have Morrow and Heldt on the floor at the same thing. It's another to have folks working together. Some combinations gel. Some just don't.

I think the hope that we all have is he will be more aggressive as a upperclassman especially when he knows he's truly one of the best if not best guys on the team.

If Sam realizes we prefer him shooting as much as possible. He could be scary.

[Class71]

Seems a bit premature to worry about this. How about we win a few games against real competition before we concern our selves with too much talent to manage? 

[Stretchdeltsig]

It's the law of the wolf pack. The players will determine the pecking order in practice.  It doesn't take long to determine their rank from 1 through 13. The players who can dominate and give Wojo the best chance to win will play.

[Jay Bee]

Seems a bit premature to worry about this. How about we win a few games against real competition before we concern our selves with too much talent to manage?

I'm not worried about it, but it's definitely an issue. I think there are 5 guys who will get healthy minutes (if healthy). Then there's another tier of a 3/4 who have a chance to get healthy minutes, and a few who will really have to perform well to get 'em. The possibilities of losing a player halfway through the school year and/or after the full year due to wanting more PT is very real.. I don't think you manage to that issue directly, but it's gotta be something you're thinking about.

[Floorslapper]

Feel the biggest area of improvement I've seen in Wojo's coaching has been his roster management.  Felt he was a train wreck Year 1 and 2.  Improved in Year 3.  Leveled off in Year 4.

In this upcoming year, there definitely will be challenges doling out minutes - and possibly could lead to a player or two being unhappy with their role.  At least there is enough depth at this point to endure losing a transfer (that can actually play.)  Losing Haanif last year wasn't much of a blow, as Sacar and Cain are better players with more upside.

[MU82]

It's an interesting thing for us to talk about in June.

I'm not "worried" about it at all, though. The best players and the next group after that will sort it all out with their play.

[MerrittsMustache]

There's an old football saying that coaches don't cut players, players cut themselves. Playing time really isn't any different. Play hard, do your job and you'll see the floor.

I also may take exception to the fact that MU has too many good players. I mean, if Villanova, Kentucky and Duke can figure it out year after year with actual superstar talent, it shouldn't be all that much of a challenge for Wojo. If you wanted to present the issue as too many unproven players, that'd be a different story.

[Floorslapper]

There's an old football saying that coaches don't cut players, players cut themselves. Playing time really isn't any different. Play hard, do your job and you'll see the floor.

I also may take exception to the fact that MU has too many good players. I mean, if Villanova, Kentucky and Duke can figure it out year after year with actual superstar talent, it shouldn't be all that much of a challenge for Wojo. If you wanted to present the issue as too many unproven players, that'd be a different story.

This statement should be qualified - A players needs to be effective and contribute.  "Playing hard" alone is not enough.  If you are fielding a team of a bunch of try hard guys with limited skill "who do their job," well, you won't win many games.  We saw that Buzz's last year, and Wojo's first two years.

[Galway Eagle]

This statement should be qualified - A players needs to be effective and contribute.  "Playing hard" alone is not enough.  If you are fielding a team of a bunch of try hard guys with limited skill "who do their job," well, you won't win many games.  We saw that Buzz's last year, and Wojo's first two years.

Wojo won 20games his second year exactly what part of that is not winning many games?

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

This statement should be qualified - A players needs to be effective and contribute.  "Playing hard" alone is not enough.  If you are fielding a team of a bunch of try hard guys with limited skill "who do their job," well, you won't win many games.  We saw that Buzz's last year, and Wojo's first two years.

Maybe their job is to contribute, be effective, and win games.  So no qualifier is needed.

[GGGG]

Maybe there job is to contribute, be effective, and win games.  So no qualifier is needed.

He's just going down the same rabbit hole he normally does.  Don't follow him.

[Floorslapper]

Maybe their job is to contribute, be effective, and win games.  So no qualifier is needed.

Key words bolded.  That's a different statement than saying "play hard, do your job, and you'll see the floor."  Now granted, that does seem to be the litmus for getting playing time under Wojo, regardless of ability to contribute and be effective.